Nov. 19, 2009
By Andrew Gavin
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Head coach Joi Williams and her staff continue to impress on the recruiting trail, as evidenced by their signees from the class of 2010. Williams announced on Thursday that three prep standouts - Sarah Green (Columbia, S.C.), Erika Jones (Phenix City, Ala.) and Aarika Judge (Augusta, Ga.) - have signed National Letters of Intent to play at UCF beginning with the 2010-11 season.
"I am very excited about our three new Knights," said head coach Joi Williams. "My staff did a great job of not only identifying players that are very talented but ones that also possess great character.
The three recruits come with impressive resumes, with all three ranked among the top-60 players nationally at their respective positions according to ESPNU's HoopGurlz. Green is ranked as the 84th best player in the class of 2010 and ranks 15th among power forwards. It is the second-straight season that Williams has signed a player ranked in ESPNU's HoopGurlz Top 100. Now a freshman at UCF, Gevenia Carter (Houston, Texas) was ranked 61st in the class of 2009 rankings.
All three have also found success on the AAU circuits, and Green and Judge come to UCF having already been teammates as members of the South Carolina Lady 76ers. They led the 76ers to the title at last summer's prestigious Candace Parker Invitational. Jones played her AAU basketball for the Georgia Jaguars and averaged 15 points and 13 rebounds last summer.
"Sarah, Erika and Aarika will address some definite needs that we have and I know that our fans will enjoy watching them play," said Williams. "There's no question that they will help us as we strive to make UCF a Top 25 program.
SARAH GREEN
6-2 Forward/Center
Columbia, S.C. (Irmo High School)
S.C. Lady Sixers
Green Highlights
? Rated as the 84th best player nationally by ESPNU's HoopGurlz Top 100, including 15th among power forwards and the top player in the state of South Carolina.
? Ranked as the top player in the class of 2010 according to the Southern Premier Hoops Report, which spans South Carolina, North Carolina and eastern Georgia.
? Averaged 11.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.3 blocks per game as a junior at Irmo High School, while leading the state in blocks.
? Named all-region, all-area and Irmo High School's MVP as a junior.
? Helped her AAU team to a 48-5 record on the adidas circuit and the title at the inaugural Candace Parker Invitational last summer.
? Chose UCF over Texas, South Carolina, East Carolina, Liberty and College of Charleston.
What they're saying about Green:
? Sarah Green: "I chose UCF because of the coaches. With coach Nichols and coach Brown, when I first met them it was almost like they already knew me. I did some research on Coach Williams and how she turned the program around. She was real straight forward and knows what she wants. I know she will get the best out of me and get me to play hard."
? Jerome Dickerson (Palmetto 76ers, former AAU coach): "I think she liked the school, and I think she made a good choice. I have known coach Nichols for a number of years and knew that he was a good coach and knew she would be taken care of on and off the court at UCF. I know she is in a great spot. On the court, she can play both forward positions. She has a good jump shot so she can score both inside and outside. She has the total package and has unreal potential. Once she gets on campus, people will definitely start to know about her."
? Roger Wiley and Anthony Tony (S.C. Lady 76ers): "Sarah has made vast improvements to her game throughout her high school career. Her athleticism allows her to deflect, block and alter many shots in the paint. Offensively, she is smooth and agile with the ability to score inside and out with her silky smooth jump shot. She filled a number of roles for us playing both center and power forward. We have seen so much growth with her in the years with our program. UCF is getting a kid who is going to come in and play extremely hard. Her best years are ahead of her and she has an even greater potential at the college level than she did at the high school level."
ERIKA JONES
6-2 Forward/Center
Phenix City, Ala. (Smith Station High School)
Georgia Jaguars
Jones Highlights
? Ranked 33rd among centers in the class of 2010 according to ESPNU's HoopGurlz.
? Led her team to the Alabama 6A Final Four as a junior, averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds.
? Named to the Alabama 6A All-State team.
? MVP of the state regional as a junior.
? First-Team All-Bi City as a junior.
? Selected to play in the Alabama Junior All-Star game.
? Averaged 15 points and 13 rebounds per game in AAU for the Georgia Jaguars.
? Chose UCF over Mississippi State, Southern Miss and West Virginia.
What they're saying about Jones:
? Erika Jones: "I chose UCF because of the staff and how they do things because I want to make it to the next level. The team is very talented, down to earth and works very hard. Academically, the school has many areas of education so I can learn more than what I thought I could at other colleges."
? Mike Woods (Georgia Jaguars): "She did a great job for our team and has been a great leader for our team. The reason why she chose UCF is the relationship she built with coach Nichols. Then when she had the chance to meet coach Williams it was icing on the cake. They were at all her games and showed that they wanted her to play at UCF. We teach our kids about loyalty, and they showed a lot of loyalty during the process. She can go to UCF and try to play right away, get a great education and be a part of going to the NCAA Tournament and winning conference championships.
AARIKA JUDGE
5-8 Guard
Augusta, Ga. (Hephzibah High School)
S.C. Lady 76ers
Judge Highlights
? Rated as the 58th best shooting guard nationally in the class of 2010.
? Ranked as the fifth best player in the class of 2010 by the Southern Premier Hoops Report, which spans South Carolina, North Carolina and eastern Georgia.
? Averaging 15.5 points, 6.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds and six steals per game in high school career.
? Has knocked down 179 three-pointers in high school career.
? Named to the Augusta Chronicle Georgia Girls All-Area Team as a junior.
? Led her team to the Georgia Elite Eight in all three seasons.
? Selected first-team all-state as both a sophomore and junior and honorable mention all-state as a freshman.
? Also named first-team all-region as a sophomore and a junior.
? Named the co-MVP at Southern Premier Hoops Spring Classic.
? Chose UCF over Western Kentucky.
What they're saying:
? Aarika Judge: "I decided not to base my decision on how everyone else felt but on how I felt. UCF is the school I really felt comfortable about and that is why I made my decision to go there. I want to come in and help UCF win another conference championship and do well in the NCAA Tournament."
? Anthony Tony (S.C. Lady 76ers): "Aarika is probably one of the smartest basketball players we have had. She is a true leader by example with vocal leadership. She is able to run the show as a coach on the floor. When a basket was needed she took it on herself to make sure we got the ball in the right place. She is a great shooter who is smart about when to shoot and when to get the rest of her team involved. Being at all the events, showing their faces and giving the 76ers love throughout the whole summer really set UCF apart."
? Wendall Lofton (Hephzibah High School): "Aarika is a four-year starter for Hephzibah, and we are excited about her signing with UCF. We are depending on her leadership and her experience to take us to the state games. She is an exciting player to watch who has a true passion for the game. We look forward to seeing her take her game to the next level. Her work ethic and values will make any coach proud."
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